Japan's space agency, JAXA, announced that its SLIM moon lander has defied expectations by surviving a frigid lunar night and re-establishing communication with Earth. This development comes over a month after SLIM made a historic "pinpoint" landing on the moon's surface.
SLIM's successful touchdown last month marked Japan as the fifth nation to successfully place a probe on the moon. The probe's landing site was within 55 meters (180 feet) of its intended target, just south of the moon's equator. However, shortly after landing, SLIM lost power due to its tilted position, which prevented its solar panels from receiving sunlight.
Despite the initial setback, SLIM's solar panels regained power over a week later as the sunlight's angle changed. JAXA had previously stated that the probe was not designed to withstand the extreme cold of a lunar night. SLIM's unexpected survival and renewed communication have provided a significant boost to Japan's lunar exploration efforts.